UPDATE 1-Brain tissue from former NFL star Seau to be studied for damage

July 12, 2012|Reuters

* Suicide was third among former NFL players since Feb 2011

* Some 2,000 former NFL players, spouses suing the league

(Adds National Institutes of Health comment)

By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES, July 12 (Reuters) - Tissue from the brain offormer San Diego Chargers star Junior Seau, who committedsuicide in May, has been sent to the National Institutes ofHealth for analysis amid growing concerns over the long-termeffects of football-related head injuries.

The brain sample was sent to the NIH, the U.S. government'sprimary biomedical research institution, at the request ofSeau's family members, said Sarah Gordon, spokeswoman for theSan Diego County Medical Examiner's office.

Gordon declined to comment further on the decision. Thefamily's pastor previously said family members were consideringhaving Seau's brain studied for evidence of football-relatedinjuries.

"The National Institutes of Health is not directly involvedin an analysis of former NFL player Junior Seau's cause ofdeath, but physicians at NIH's National Institute ofNeurological Disorders and Stroke conduct research on traumaticbrain injury and have agreed to carry out an analysis of theautopsied tissue," the institutes said in a written statement.

"In order to protect Mr. Seau's children's right to privacy,NIH will not discuss the status of the tissue or any subsequentfindings," the institutes said.

Seau, a 20-year National Football League veteran and fanfavorite widely regarded as one of the best defensive players ofhis generation, shot himself in the chest on May 2. He left nosuicide note.

His death at age 43 came during heightened scrutiny of theeffects of repeated blows to the head in football, ice hockeyand other contact sports and the potential for such injuries tocontribute to depression and other health problems in players.

It also marked at least the third suicide by a former NFLplayer since February 2011, when ex-Chicago Bears defensive backDave Duerson, 50, killed himself with a gunshot to the chestafter complaining of headaches, blurred vision and memory loss.

Duerson left a note with the request: "Please, see that mybrain is given to the NFL's brain bank."

More than 2,000 former NFL players and spouses have sued the league, saying it deliberately concealed the risk of braindamage from repeated blows to the head suffered by players.

The NFL has called the suit groundless, saying it has longmade player safety a priority and calling attention to itsbenefits programs for former players.

The league has focused in recent seasons on health andsafety issues. It has cracked down on hits to the head andstiffened rules that bar players from using their helmets as aweapon through head-first contact, which is subject to fines andsuspension for repeat offenders.

Despite the high-profile suicides, a study published inJanuary by a division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Controland Prevention showed retired NFL players had a lower rate ofsuicide than the general public.

A spokesman for NIH's National Institute of NeurologicalDisorders and Stroke could not immediately be reached forcomment.